Snaptite stopper



Nov. 8, 1949 H. c. CARPENTER 2,487,635

SNAPTITE STOPPER Filed March 5, 1945 INVENTOR. HA ZEL C. CnRPE/vrE/a BY NMME'V'E A TTO/ENEY.

Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a snaptite stopper for discharge orifices.

This invention may be used for the service of closures for Thermos bottles, sink drains and especially for the closure of the drain openings of laundry trays and in washing machines.

It is especially desirable for stoppers of the drain pipes of washing machines or drain openings in any situation where moving objects pass over the openings when the stoppers are in place. A common and highly desirable use of my stopper is for the drains of washing machines in which there are moving mechanical parts passing over the stopper while the washing machine is performing its service.

An object of the invention is to provide a stopper which can be quickly and easily applied and likewise, quickly and easily removed, and still make a tight seal in the discharge orifice.

A further object of the invention is to construct a stopper which will have a special form that may be easily grasped and lifted from its closure position to free the opening and then be reapplied and deformed in its seat to the end of having no protruding parts of the stopper above the bottom surface of the container in which it is used, or the nozzle of any discharge opening in which this stopper may be used.

This stopper is necessarily made of elastic material, such as rubber and the like, and of special forms which facilitate its insertion and its removal from any discharge orifice by use of the fingers only.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the preferred form of the stopper, when in position of being introduced in service in the discharge orifice of what might be a sink, a laundry tub or any other opening in which the stopper might be used.

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view to that of Figure 1 after the stopper has been seated to closure position in the orifice of service.

Figure 3 is a plan view of parts which are shown in Figures 1 and 2, being the stopper in position of service.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a portion of one side of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of a portion of one side of what is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a vertical section of a modified form of what is shown in Figure 1.

This stopper of necessity must be made of rubber or its equivalent insofar as it is necessary for it to be elastic and springy in the matter of being deformed in service, and in general terms it is shaped like a cup-shaped cap which might become a cover which would be seated over an article, and the top of the cover having a knob or a button upon it for a hand hold.

In the drawings 2 indicates the bottom of a sink or the fioor of a washing machine chamber in which there is the orifice bushing 3 of common construction having the flange 4, see Figures 1 and 2, and 5 indicates What might be the nozzle of a Thermos bottle or any other opening in which my stopper may be used.

In the preferred form as represented by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the main body of the stopper is indicated by the cup 6 having the bottom thin flange l, and the thickened top rim 8. This portion 8 is connected by the cone-shaped top portion 9, which terminates at Ill to a top hand hold knob II.

The conical portion 9, where it joins the cup 6, is provided with an extra thickened inwardly projecting ring shaped portion l2.

Figure 1 indicates the first position in inserting the stopper into the orifice 3 and Figure 2 shows the stopper snapped into position inside the orifice 3, thereby damming 01f the discharge opening 3.

In the movement of the stopper from the position of Figure 1 to the position of Figure 2, the projection 12 is forced from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5, wherein the ring projection l2 has been forced against the ring portion 6 to press it outwardly to a tight set position as indicated in Figure 5.

The modification shown by Figure 6 is a slightly tapered inverted cup having the slightly tapered wall l3 which is thinner and of smaller diameter at its bottom edge l4 than at its top diameter I9. The top surface 15 of this inverted cup I3 as shown in Figure 6, is provided with the projection knob It on top of which there is a small flange I1, and a similar flange 20 is also provided on the knob H, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The top 15 of Figure 6 may be depressed as indicated by the dotted lines I8 as and when the taper on the outside wall [3 is pushed down into an orifice slightly smaller than its outside diameter of the stopper.

In the use of the modified form as shown by Figure 6, the bottom edge [4 is expected to be sufiiciently small that it may be inserted freely for a short distance, and then as the stopper is pressed downwardly, the increasing upwardly form the closure of the orifice, the conical portion.

9 being moved from what is shown in Figure 1 to what is shown in Figure 2. On removal the user has only to grasp the top knob II and pull out the stopper for opening of the discharge orifice.

A great merit of this stopper resides in the fact that it can be instantly inserted in. the orifice which it is intended to close, and as the conical portion 9 of Figure 1 is forced downwardly into the orifice to a conical inside projection 2|, the stopper snaps. into the binding position in the orifice in which. the stopper is placed. The top portion 'of the stopper is then below the top of the opening in which it is placed, and is thereby guarded from accidental displacement by contact with anything moving over it, which is a great de'sideratum.

What I claim is: t

1. In a stopper of the class described, a cupsha'ped 'cover having a vertically arranged. wall open at the bottom, a conically formed top portion extending above the top of the cup and terminating into a hand hold knob, said top made of material adapted to be collapsed from a convex outside position to a. conically extending inside position of the wall of the cup, the saidco'nically formed top portion on its inside where it "joins 'convex wall with the annular wall.

the circular wall of the cup provided with a downwardly extending circular projection asunder from the circular wall of the stopper and said projection adapted to be moved outwardly against the vertical circular wall in a direction to enlarge the diameter of the circular wall as and when the said conically formed top is depressed from an outside position to an inside position as indicated from the released position of the stopper when loosely installed in'an orifice to that of the sealing position of the stopper when in use.

2. A stopper formed of rubber including an annular wall of wedge-shape in transverse section, which annular wall is adapted to be received within a stopper receiving opening, a concaveconvex top wall interconnecting the annular wall and having a dependent circular rim spaced from said annular wall, said top wall being depressible to reverse the position of the concavo-convex wall and by outward pressure of said rim to enlarge the diameter of the annular wall along a zone adjacent the line of contact of said concavo- HAZEL CECIL CARPENTER. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED S ATES PA'rEn'rs Number 

